Can’t believe we are home - so much has happened over the last 4 months and what a 4 months it has been!! Its so difficult to know how to tell you all how much we have enjoyed it - hopefully you have picked this up from our Blogs! It has been lovely to see our family and friends again - and to see our 2 gorgeous granddaughters, Molly and Ellie, running towards us at Heathrow was the best thing ever. We have had the most fantastic time - we have seen and experienced so much. We have seen such amazing wildlife and it is such a privilege to see them in their own natural surroundings and the creatures allowing us to get up close and personal. Another overriding memory for us of the whole trip ... read more

Sunday 10th May - Off to the airport at 8.30am ready for our flight out at 11.30. Great aircraft this was the Airbus A300 loads of space and leg room - a very comfortable flight - probably the best so far (5.30 hours). Flew in over Singapore Harbour where there were dozens of container ships waiting to get in to the harbour. Learnt later that this is one of the busiest ports in the world with 24H operation and up to 800 ships a day being turned round. Never seen so many cranes and containers in one city before. When we landed walked into searing heat and high humidity. Hadn’t realised that Singapore is in the middle of a flu scare (H1N1) so were surprised to be screened for high temperature/fever. No probs so it was ... read more

Thursday 7th May - Beautiful sunny day caught the ferry to Rottnest Island from Freemantle port. Only a 30 minute crossing on calm seas. Had pre-booked bike hire for the day so as soon as we had landed we went to collect our wheels. What a beautiful island Rottnest is with lots of sandy bays and clear blue water (and no cars!) - can understand why Liz & Ray enjoyed it so much. We started cycling towards the lighthouse and onwards calling in on a couple of bays for photo shoots and then on our bikes to the next bay. Headed inland to see the Pink Lake and spotted some Black Stilts on the way. Arrived at Pink Lake - very little water - and as we were taking photos we did see a couple of ... read more

Monday 4th May - So guess which trip we chose?!! Up early to book tour for Super Pit which started at 1.00pm. Gave us time to visit the Royal Flying Doctor Service for W.A. based at Kalgoorlie Airport. Had an excellent talk by one of the staff on the structure and work of the RFDS then went and saw the 2 aircraft in the hanger. Was amazed how little room there was inside the aircraft for stretchers and all the medical gear etc. The medical teams come from all over the world but recruitment and retention is an issue. There are 5 pilots, 6 doctors and 7 nurses who work on a 24hour rota system. Made a few purchases before leaving as monies received go towards the RFDS. As for the Brothel trip Tony was worried ... read more

Friday 1st May ~ can’t believe it’s May already, where have the last 3 months gone? Anyway had a lovely leisurely hot shower (the first for 3 days!!) then sent last blog before setting off to see T he Natural Bridge and The Gap, both just outside Albany. More superlatives!! The Natural Bridge is a huge bridge of granite some 60 or 70metres long, 30 metres wide and about 30 metres above the waves of the Southern Ocean. Those waves come thundering in below the bridge and shatter themselves on the rocks. Similarly The Gap is a cleft that’s been cut into the granite cliffs by wave action and as the waves hit the cliff face its just a maelstrom of rushing white water and deafening noise ~ photos never quite capture the awesome power, the ... read more

Saturday 25th April - Stayed at Frank Lipino Memorial rest area last night and on road early this morning. Heading towards Bunbury - did a U turn and took scenic route to Serpentine Dam - wonderful spot - nobody there except for us and lots of tame green parakeets. Bit further on came to a welcome café and viewing point. Very peaceful apart from lovely jazz music from café, Nat King Cole, Dave Brubeck etc. Took coastal route to Bunbury still very quiet bearing in mind that its Anzac Day (public holiday on Monday). Travelled through very dry stock country (still not a blade of grass to be seen). Arrived at Bunbury - long white beaches, some with basalt rocks. Also very busy port and harbour with strong Aboriginal links. Went and found our camping area ... read more

Sunday 19th April - On the way to the airport we saw a herd of wild camels in the desert. Alice is an amazing place - right in the centre of Australia. There’s also a top-secret Aus/American military air-base/communication centre (Pine Gap) that everyone knows about but knows nothing of - apart from anyone who works there is either a “cleaner” or “gardener”!! Caught the 10.00am flight to Perth - clear day so we could watch miles of desert below. Caught a shuttle bus into the city where we were staying at the Mercure Hotel for one night. Room not ready when we arrived so we walked down to the ferry point on the Swan River right next to the Swan Bell Tower. In the park nearby there was a Bhuddist Festival - so colourful with ... read more

Friday 17th April - Said farewell to Cairns, really liked this town and was sorry to leave. Taxi to airport and a 2hr flight to Alice Springs - “The Alice” as its locally known. As the skies were clear we had 2 hrs of flying over the desert - just mile after mile of red sandstone below us with the occasional dead straight dirt road and milky-blue salt lakes. Caught the shuttle bus to our hotel and the short journey from the airport was mostly through desert. Alice was a bit of a culture shock after Cairns - it wasn’t the heat or the desert but this was our first close encounter with the indigenous people, the Aboriginals. There was no integration whatsoever and you get the impression that the Aboriginal people have no interest in ... read more

Monday 13th April - Working our way up to Cairns. Had a very wet journey - stopped at Ma:Mu to do a treetop walk through the Rainforest. This walkway had been created following the cyclone in 1998 and no additional trees had been felled. Continued in the rain and stopped at a lovely free camping area at Rocky Creek Memorial Ground outside Mareeba. This was set up in 1995 to commemorate the 3 field hospitals that were set up during WW2 for the Australian/New Zealand wounded troops. The Atherton Tableland was a major training area and at one stage 300,000 troops were based in the area. Had one of those random meetings - one of the other 3 campervans had 2 kiwis who had been on the road for 10 months. Pete and his wife had ... read more

Wednesday 8th April - Left site and drove down to start of Palm Tree forest walk. Stunning - huge palm trees and very dense forestation. Sprayed ourselves well against mossies and leaches although Tony managed to pick up a couple of leaches climbing up his boots! Walked the last bit up the road and saw a huge snake curled up on the bank. Drove back down the valley and spotted a bedraggled Wedge Tailed Eagle perched on top of a dead tree - managed to get a photo before a Magpie mobbed him and sent him on his way. Stayed at Palm Springs rest area again tonight ready for our trip to WhitSunday islands tomorrow. Thursday 9th April - Poured with rain all night and still raining this morning so wet drive to Airlie Beach. Arrived ... read more